St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Beaver

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with Penn State Beaver in Monaca, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Saint Mary's College is larger than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (1,601 students vs. 482 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College is located in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Beaver is in Monaca, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Beaver is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Saint Mary's College 9:1; Penn State Beaver 12:1.

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Beaver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's College or Penn State Beaver? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Beaver than St. Mary's College ($18,581 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Mary's College are 1.5% lower than at Penn State Beaver ($14,260 vs. $14,474).
• Saint Mary's College is 269.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Beaver (about $38,822 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 120.6% higher at St. Mary's College than at Penn State Beaver (about $29,096 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at Penn State Beaver (100% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 328.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Beaver students ($38,748 vs. $9,045).

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Beaver Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's College or Penn State Beaver? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Beaver and St. Mary's College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 40 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (1190).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Penn State Beaver).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 1130/1325; Penn State Beaver 1080/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College 26/30; Penn State Beaver 24/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's College - Test optional; Penn State Beaver - Test optional.
• Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at St. Mary's College vs. 9.5% at Penn State Beaver.

St. Mary's College vs. Penn State Beaver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's College and Penn State Beaver? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Saint Mary's College's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Penn State Beaver's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than St. Mary's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Beaver graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Beaver graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Beaver students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.